Gay marriage repeal killed in New Hampshire

View full sizeEmily French-Dumont, right listens as her partner Mary Dumont talks against a bill to repeal the law allowing same-sex marriage during a news conference Monday, March 19, 2012 in Concord, N.H. The House votes later this week on a bill to repeal the law allowing same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

By NORMA LOVE, Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have made their state the first to repeal a gay marriage law through legislation — a move opposed by the governor.

The Republican-controlled House voted 211-116 on Wednesday to kill the bill that would have repealed the 2-year-old law and restored a law that allowed civil unions in 2008 and 2009.

For months, gay marriage supporters lobbied to secure the margin needed to kill the bill if it reached Democratic Gov. John Lynch's desk and his promised veto.

A two-thirds vote would have been needed to override a veto of the repeal, which would have taken effect in March 2013.

The National Organization for Marriage had pledged to spend $250,000 to help lawmakers running for re-election who supported repealing the law. On the other side, the New Hampshire Republicans of Freedom and Equality PAC raised money to back Republicans who voted to retain it.

The repeal legislation, sponsored by state Rep. David Bates, would have allowed the 1,906 existing same-sex marriages in New Hampshire to remain valid but would have replaced the current "illegitimate definition" of marriage with one defining it as between one man and one woman.

Same-sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Washington and the District of Columbia.

New Jersey lawmakers recently passed a gay marriage bill, but Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed it. An override vote in New Jersey could come as late as January 2014.